Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum Army Set Preview

The world of Warhammer 40K is a world full of hulking Space Marines, giant killer bugs, fungal orcs, intergalactic elves, and even space dwarves... and amidst all these larger than life figures it can feel hard for the ordinary human to stand out. But for the soldier employed in the Astra Militarum, those brave men and women who fight for the Emperor as a shield against the horrors of the galaxy, that's not the point. Instead, it is the goal of every soldier to stand shoulder to shoulder with their brethren, lifting their las rifles en masse as a wall against the encroaching darkness.

Now, this incredible army blasts its way back on the scene (though they never truly left) with a new Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum Army Set, including a wealth of new miniatures, a new Codex rulebook for the army, and more. Games Workshop sent us a copy of the Army Set to check out, so read on for our initial impressions in our Astra Militarum Army Set Preview!

What's Included In The Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum Army Set?

The Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum Army Set contains the miniatures and rules needed to run this army in the most recent edition of Warhammer 40K. The full contents of the box set include 28 citadel miniatures, the rules, and more. The full list is:

• Codex: Astra Militarum
• Astra Militarum Datacards
• 20x Cadian Shock Troops
• 1x Cadian Command Squad
• 1x Sentinel
• 2x Ordnance Teams
• Astra Militarum Transfer Sheet

What Does The Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum Codex Cover?

The Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum Codex is a massive tome including detailed lore, gallery photos of professionally painted models, and all the rules and unit profiles for the army. To start, the lore section covers the history of the army, from rumors of its earliest founding after the events of the Horus Heresy up to the role the army plays in the most recent conflicts of the game. There are notes about special regiments, from the disciplined Cadian warriors to the ornate and dour Mordians, the Rambo-esque Catachan "jungle fighters," and the xenos-hunting Indiga Praefects, it's clear from the Codex that this army is vast and varied.

The rules section of the Codex includes a lot of information on fielding this army. First, there are Regimental Doctrines. This is how you really customize your army, as you choose two Doctrines that your units live by, and they impact the flavor and special abilities of your forces. You could create an army with "Heirloom Weapons" and a "Grim Demeanour," who carry ornamental weapons with a longer range and are so dour they ignore modifiers to test to see if the troops panic and run. Or perhaps "Veteran Guerrillas" that are "Swift as the Wind," who are adept at fighting guerrilla style and thus ignore cover as they speed across the battlefield. By combining these doctrines, you can customize your forces to your playstyle.

Along with these doctrines, there are warlord traits for your commanders, a wealth of Stratagems, special abilities for "Tank Aces," Psykana Disciplines for the Psykers in your army, and Relics like the Armour of Graf Toschenko, which grants the bearer an additional wound and a 2+ Save characteristic.

And then there's the Datasheets section, which sprawls over 50 pages and gives playable rules as many units in the game, from fearless named warrior heroes to platoons of troopers, armored tanks, and artillery fighters. The list is extensive, but let's focus in on the units included in the Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum Army Set.

What Units Are Included In The Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum Army Set, and How Do They Play?

The units included in Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum Army Set include troops, artillery, a commander and his attache, and a bipedal war machine reminiscent of an AT-ST from Star Wars. Let's dive in:

The Cadian Commander and his Veteran Guardsmen is a five model unit. The Commander is key to issuing out Regimental Orders to the rest of your forces, which are powerful boons that can help turn the tide of battle. He's also an experienced fighter, with a WS and BS of 3+ and 4 wounds. His Guardsmen are each equipped with different utility gear - one has a master vox, one a medi-pack, one a regimental standard, and one a chainsword - making this a well-rounded little force.

Cadian Shock Troops are the meat and potatoes of this army, armed with powerful weaponry including lasguns and frag grenades. Each time these hardened sharp-shooting veterans make a ranged attack and roll a hit roll of 6, they score one additional hit. You can also swap out some of their weaponry, arming them with even more devastating weapons like a Drum-fed autogun or a flamer. The box comes with 20 total models, so you can create two units of 10.

Next up is the Sentinel, which you can build as a light, fast Scout Sentinel or a slower but much more sturdy Armoured Sentinel. Each version comes standard-equipped with a Militarum multi-laser with a 36" range on it, but you can also swap these out for other weapons like a heavy flamer, a lascannon, and more.

Finally, there's the ordnance team, which you can build in several different variations. These canons deal extreme damage on the battlefield, and though they're naturally slow, you can really hammer down the enemy with an onslaught of ordnance fire from impressive ranges (36" to 48", depending on the build and weaponry chosen).

With all of these options, and all of the rules covered in the Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum Army Set, you'll find yourself spending hours upon hours customizing your forces. So what are you waiting for, recruit? Sign on the dotted line and join your brothers and sisters in the great battle against the forces of Chaos and strange Xenos that threaten our galaxy!